Apparatus for condensing gases.



PATENTED MAY 15, 1906.

S. T. MUFFLY. APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING GASES.

APPLICATION FILED 0UT 6,1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 820,884. PATENTED MAY 15, 1906.

S. T. MUFFLY. APPARATUS FOR GONDENSING GASES.

APPLICATION FILED 0G1.6,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

$ W A W sired to described and claimed by me in an DELAWARE, AND OF DELAI/VARE.

SIDNEY T. MUFFLY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PHILADELPHIA CYANIDE-PROOESS COMPANY, OF WJLMINGTON,

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION APPARATUS IFOFI CONDENSING GASES" Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1906.

i Application filed October 6, 1905. Serial No. 281,673.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY T. MUFFLY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Ap aratus for C011- densing Gases, of which t. e following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide an efiicient, ra id, and relatively inexpensive combinationo apparatus for dissolving gases or solid particles carried by gases in any desired solution, it being more paticularly deprovide an apparatus having the characterrstics above noted for recovering the hydrocyanic-acid as given ofl during the operation of cyanirI particularly in connection with the process of extracting precious metals from their ores a plication for United States patent, dated August 14, 1905, Serial No. 274,119.

' I further desire toprovide a combination of apparatus by which it shall be possible to recover the precious metals driven oil as dust or volatilized during the roasting of complex ores or in connection with various smelting or refining processes, it being also desired that the a paratus shall be capable of use for the disso ving and precipitation of base metals and their gaseous compounds, as well as of the gases generated during the operation of the process described and claimed in my above-noted application for atent, as set forth in an application for nited States patent, Serial No. 281,674, filed by me of even dateherewith.-

" forth, reference being had ing drawings, in whichchamber or casin These objects I attain as hereinafter set to the accompany- Figure 1 is an elevation, to some extent diagrammatic, of a combination of apparatus arranged according to my invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown in Fi 1, also illustrating in section further detai s of my invention; and Fi 3 is a vertical section of a modified form 0 apron which may be used in carrying out my invention.

In the above drawm s, A represents a of suitable form, having within it at some istance above its bottom a false floor orhorizontal partition a, of filtering material, above which are a series of substantially vertical partitions a, usually of wood,

processes, and more porous fabric, the rollers being so arrangedthat while one of them is adjacent to the top of the chamber the other is sup orted in suitable bearings at some point be ow the redetermined level of the hquid, which un er operating conditions is used in said chamber. The upper roller of each pair has fixed to its spindle a beveled gear a and these beveled gears mesh with other gears a carried upon a suitable shaft (1, outside the chamber, which is designed to be driven from a source of power in any desired manner, so as to continuously turn the rollers a and with them the aprons a.

The chamber A is provided with openings in one of its sides, respectively entering the s aces between each air of partitions a), t ese 0 enings being 0 osed by cover-plates a, hel in position 1n any suitable manner. Gases, &c., may be delivered to the chamber either through a pipe 6, having a funnelshaped end 1) opening below the level of the surface of the liquid in the chamber, or from a pipe 12 entering the top of said chamber. At the o posite end of the chamber from that at whicli let-pipe 0, connected to an inclosed box C, having a false bottom 0, of filtering material, above which are a series of baffles 0 designed to provide a tortuous passage from the point of entrance of the pipec to an outlet 0 at the o (posits end of the box, which outlet is prov1 ed with a valve 0*, positively actuated from time to time from any suitable source of power, whereby the air or gas under pressure within the box G is periodically allowed to escape.

The container D is provided for the solvent solution to be used in the apparatus, and this is connected, by means of a. pipe 6!, tothat end ofthe chamber A adjacent to the gas-in let pipes b and Z1 There is also provldeda container E, connected to chamber A through said pipes b and b enter there is an out-- a pipe e for the ammonium or other alkaline hydrate to be used.

A suitable drain-{pipe a is provided for the s ace containing 'ltered liquid within the c amber A, which is also provided with a series of valved connections a", all communicating with a single-outletipe a whereby the level of the liquid may s regulated. There is also, as shownin Fig. 2, a series of valved outlets a, whereby liquid may be drawn off from the chamber at any desired level for the purpose of testing.

I preferably. provide at the top of the chamber Aa series of conduits f, extending [5 across the same and connected to asupplyipe f outside of said chamber. In the lower faces of the ipes are slotted openings, and they are each provided with an-internal deflector f whereby the air under pressure is 2 5 chamber A, so that those portions of said a rons outside of the liquid can a thin film of the solution. This latter, wh ch is preferably a double cyanid of potassium and bromin, is supplied from the tank B, while the 0 ammonium hydrate or other desired alkaline hydrate is sup lied from the tanks D and E, respectively, t e strength of the cyanid solution usual 9} ranging from .1 to .5 of one per cent. he double cyanid itself is compounded in the proportion of five parts of potassium cyanid to one part of bromin cyanid. If now gas, vapors, or dust containing precious metals in finely-divided or volatilized form be passed into the chamber through pipe I), it will first be passed into the body of the liquid in the chamber A and then forced to pass through thin films of liquid carried by the fabric aprons a", as well as passed over the surface of said liquid. Such treatment very effectively and quickly causes the hydrocyanic-acid gas, as well as the metallic particles or compounds, to be dissolved in the cyanid solution, particularly since any preclpitates formed on the aprons are almost 50 liquid in the chamber, while the base-metal compounds formed at the same time are at once precipitated as hydrates by the action of the alkaline hydrate delivered from the container E.

I have found that the reactions taking place are favored and hastened. by the direct downward action of the air under ressure upon the surface of the body of liqui as well as on the films of the same, and it will'be seen that from time to time said air passes out from the chamber A through the pipe 0 into the box C, therebybeing passed 1n contactwith the bathe-plates c and caused to 'de- 6 5 posit-any liquid still carried by it in the form delivered at a uniform rate to all points of the immediately deposited in the main body of,

of vapor. It is finally permitted to periodically escape through the pipe 0 and valve 0*.

The liquid so deposited in the box C passes through filter-partition c and may be drawn off through the outlet-pipe 0 As solid material collects within the chamber A the liq uid may be drawn off and the covers a removed to permit of the collection and removal of the precipitates or slirnes, which may then be treated to recover their valuable constituents.

If desired, stationary aprons a may be substituted and used, as shown in Fig. 3, and in such case a pipe (1, having a series of perforations and extending across the chamber A, would be connected to chamber D for the purpose of providing relatively thin films of liquid in which the gases, &c., would be disso ved.

I claim as my invention- 1. In apparatus for condensing or dissolving gases or the like, the combination of a closed chamber having an inlet and containing a body of liquid, a series of substantially vertical, endless aprons extending across the chamber, partitions extending upward from the bottom of the chamber to points adjacent to the top thereof and respectively between successive aprons, with means for sup porting and lon 'tudinally moving sald aprons to cause t em to enter and emerge from the body of liquid in the chamber, sub stantially as described.

' 2. In apparatus for'condensing or dissolving gases or the like, the combination of a closed chamber containing a body of liquid, a series of substantially vertical and endless aprons extending downwardly into the bod of liquid in said chamber, means for longitudinally moving the aprons to cause them to enter and emerge from the body of liquid, with artitions extending across the chamber rom the bottom to points adjacent to the top thereof and respectively placed between successive aprons, there being 0 enings through the partitions below the leve of the li uid to permit of the circulation of liquid, su stantially as described.

3. In apparatus for condensing or dissolv-- ing gases or the like, the combination of a closed chamber, a series tical aprons in said chamber, means for supplying liquid tothe surfaces of the aprons, with partitions extending across the chamher and respectively placed between succes sive aprons, there being openings through the partitions to permit of the passage of l1qu1d, and said casing having a fa se bottom of filtering material placed to form a space for the filtered liquid,-there being an outlet tosaid space, substantiallyas described.

'4. In apparatus for condensing or d1ssolving gases or the like, the combination of a closed chambeahaving an inlet and an outlet for gases, &c., tobe dissolved or condensed, a

of substantially ver-' series of aprons in the chamber, means for supplying -said aprons with solvent liquid, and means for supplying air to the chamber so that it exerts a direct downward pressure u on liquid in the same greater than that of t e atmosphere, substantially as described.

5. In apparatus for condensing or dissolving liquid or the like, the combination of a closed chamber having an inlet and an outlet for gases, &c. to be dissolved or condensed, a series of aprons in the chamber, means for supplying air to the chamber so that it exerts a direct downward pressure upon liquid in the same greater than that of the atmosphere, a closed box ha ing a series of baffieplates and connected to said chamber, with an automatic outlet-Valve for said boxhaving means whereby it is periodically actuated to permit of escape of air, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. V

SIDNEY T. MUFFLY.

Witnesses:

WALTER 'OHIsM, Jos. H. KLEIN. 

